How Hardship Affects Society German aviator, Dieter F. Uchtdorf once said, “It is [one’s] reaction to adversity, not the adversity itself, that determines how [one’s] life’s story will develop” (“Dieter F.”). This sentiment is not only prominent in today’s society, but is also something authors Zora Neale Hurston and Hisaye Yamamoto keep in mind when writing their short stories. Partly influenced by real events, they implement the themes of overcoming adversity and persevering through hardships while analyzing how significant events affect people throughout their lives. Moreover, “Sweat” by Zora Neale Hurston and “Seventeen Syllables” by Hisaye Yamamoto both parallel in their character’s development, but offer differences in their symbolism.…show more content… When she became pregnant, it was already a scandal that left her shunned by her loved ones, but her miscarriage only added to the misery she was experiencing. While she was “despised” by her family, she had given premature birth to a stillborn son, who would be seventeen now. Her family did not turn her out, but she could no longer project herself in any direction without refreshing in them the memory of her indiscretion” (Yamamoto 221). Not only was Tome’s miscarriage a devastating event for her, but it also directly led to the decision of her entering an arranged marriage and unknowingly giving up all of her freedom to her husband. From that point on, death became a sad reminder of the wonderful life she could have enjoyed, and of the harsh reality that she was trapped in her marriage. Because both stories are similar in their characters, one might think that they interpret death in the same way, but upon further reflection, one can see why they are different. Hurston and Yamamoto keep in mind the specific events in each of their characters’ lives and allow their life experiences and cultures to give significance to the deaths they
